What exactly are we talking about?
THANKS TO THE spirited 1-0 win over Wales in Cardiff a week ago, Ireland are one of the eight European nations who finished as best runners-up — meaning they go into a two-legged play-off with a spot at the 2018 World Cup finals up for grabs.
The four pairings will be revealed when Fifa make the play-off draw in Zurich on Tuesday.
When does it take place?
Hosted by Mexican TV presenter Vanessa Huppenkothen with assistance from former Spain and Real Madrid defender Fernando Hierro, the draw gets underway at 1pm Irish time tomorrow.
Ireland manager Martin O’Neill and assistant Roy Keane will travel to Switzerland to be in attendance.
Where can I watch it?
Fifa will be streaming it live on their website Fifa.com, their Facebook page and YouTube channel. You will also be able to catch it on the RTÉ Player.
Who will Ireland face?
The Boys in Green, who moved up to 26th in the latest Fifa rankings released earlier today, are among the unseeded teams. As a result, they will be drawn with one of the four seeded sides.
Pot 1 (seeded): Switzerland (11th), Italy (15th), Croatia (18th), Denmark (19th)
Pot 2 (unseeded): Northern Ireland (23rd), Sweden (25th), Republic of Ireland (26th), Greece (47th)
Read more about Ireland’s potential opponents here
How will the draw work?
A team will be drawn from Pot 1, and a second from Pot 2. The two balls will then be put into Pot 3, where they will be mixed around before being picked out. The first team out will play at home in the first leg and the second will be away. That is repeated until all four pairings are decided.
When are the matches to be played?
The first legs will take place between 9-11 November, and the return legs are scheduled for the 12-14 November.
What is Ireland’s record in play-offs like?
Ireland are set to appear in a record ninth play-off for a major tournament (World Cup or European Championships). Of their eight to-date, they have progressed in three and lost out on four occasions.
- Euro 2016: Won 3-1 on aggregate v Bosnia and Herzegovina (1-1 away, 2-0 home)
- Euro 2012: Won 5-1 on aggregate v Estonia (4-0 away, 1-1 home)
- 2010 World Cup: Lost 1-2 on aggregate v France (0-1 home, 1-1 away (aet))
- 2002 World Cup: Won 2-1 on aggregate v Iran (2-0 home, 0-1 away)
- Euro 2000: Lost 1-1 on aggregate (on away goals) v Turkey (1-1 home, 0-0 away)
- 1998 World Cup: Lost 2-3 on aggregate v Belgium (1-1 home, 1-2 away)
- Euro ’96: Lost 0-2 in one-off game v Netherlands in Liverpool
- 1966 World Cup: Lost to Spain after three matches (1-0 home, 4-1 away, 1-0 in Paris)
Last time we were in a play-off it was a night to remember. Tomorrow we'll know who stands between us & a place at the 2018 World Cup.. 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/bX3ngeab4V
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) October 16, 2017
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We also took on Spain in a play-off to qualify for the 1966 World Cup. A notorious occasion in Irish football when the FAI allowed the decisive match to be played in Paris in exchange for the gate receipts. I know younger readers of The 42 will find it hard to believe that the FAI top brass would ever sacrifice the long-term interests of Irish football for filthy lucre.
@Ger Downes: Here Here Ger You got that in one.
@Ger Downes: never knew it that Ger very interesting.
@Ger Downes: how did that work ger 3 games on agg? Home/away/ neutral. How was it agreeing to Paris made it harder? Genuine questions
@Vinny Clare: I think London was the original selected venue for the neutral ground play-off. Therefore there would surely have been many more Irish then Spanish supporters at the game. It would have been more like a home game for Ireland.
@Sean Healy: cheers
@Vinny Clare: The two-match play-off between ourselves and Spain proved indecisive.We won the first leg 1-0, but Spain beat us 4-1 in Seville. Back then,aggregate scores didn’t count so a third game had to be played at a neutral venue.The FAI wanted the game to be played at Wembley but backed down when the Spanish offered them their share of the gate receipts in exchange for bringing the game to Paris. In 1965, travel to France from Ireland was terribly cumbersome. Over 35,000 people attended the match, including more than 30,000 who made the overland trip to France from neighbouring Spain – practically a home match for them. The Irish goalkeeper, Pat Dunne, later remarked that the only Irish flag he saw at the match was the one on the flagpole he faced when the anthem was being played!
@Ger Downes: good man ger, we live and learn,
@Vinny Clare: shame the fai don’t
@Ger Downes: I don’t think that is true. The match was going to be played on Paris. But the FAI only got the word before they where officially told. So they wiggled the gate receipts out of the fifa. Would we have beaten Spain, I doubt it.
Denmark or the Swiss ideally, Croatia would be the toughest draw we could get I feel!
Why do Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane have to travel to Switzerland to see a draw that they could watch on TV? Waste of time and money.
@TellingItAsItIs: Eh no. O Neill is manager and Roy is a living legend.
@TellingItAsItIs: we should scrap the team at 26th in the world and close it all down and there would be no time or money wasted then….
@TellingItAsItIs: that’s just being silly
@TellingItAsItIs: makes a difference from Delaney and his moth turning up to these things
@TellingItAsItIs: you wouldn’t go??
@GARFARKLE: That doesn’t answer my question.
@Paul: why bother? It’s not going to make any difference than if I heard it by telephone.
@TellingItAsItIs: they have to have something to occupy their days
No mention on any media of under 17s excellent performance in euro championship qualifiers – 100% record after beating Ukraine 3-1 today. Playing attractive football too.
@kevin: well done but no big deal they are under 17s. The senior game is a totally level.
No easy permutations for us tomorrow, we’re up against it no matter how it falls. We have to believe we have a chance coybig!
The draw has Italy written all over it.
The Journal have a photo in this piece with one of the two co-hosts of tomorrow’s draw.
They chose to feature the wrong co-host.
Here’s the other one.
https://g.co/kgs/qbRoNQ
@Phil O’ Meara: Might watch the draw after seeing the co host
I’d prefer to get Italy bring it on
Are the cities Basel, Copenhagen, Turin and Zagreb for the away ties or do Italy and Croatia move their games about?
@Sam Foy: I know for a fact Italy have no fixed venue, I’d say there’s a lot of fans with fingers on the buzzers for travelling,
@Sam Foy: looks like it’s gonna be udinese. Only 25k seats.
When will the exact match dates be decided. If Ireland are drawn at home in first leg I presume the match can take place on the 11th as Rugby match in Avila.
No matter who we get it will be tough. If we are away first it will be “shut up shop ” and hope for draw. If at home we’ll need at least 2 goal advantage.
@postmanbill: the seeded teams play home in the second leg. Major disadvantage to Ireland I feel as the other way around suits a low-scoring scoring defensive team like Ireland.
Away goals?